Beauty and Her Beast
by MotherOfStories
Summary: Modernized AU version of the original tale with my own version of "the Beast" and twists, magic and old stories/legends from before humans ruled the world. May have Mary-Sueness and hints of the animated movie Disney, though I make no promises.
1. Chapter 1

It was an age where every species was thought to be known and every corner of the world supposedly had been discovered and marked. Automobiles and houses took over the landscape, oceans were charted with shipping lanes used on a regular basis, planes flew high in the sky and technology made devices like phones small enough to fit in one's pocket. Yet even with apps to hold countless digital books on all the electronic gadgets available, Beauty still hoarded hard bound books like a dragon would treasure. They were the first thing she unpacked after she and her father moved to the family's country cottage, the only possession her father had left after being let go from the shipping yard he had practically helped build from the ground up.

The hope had been to find less judgemental people in the quaint village their cottage was on the outskirts of, but soon found that wasn't always the case. Beauty's new class mates were extremely haughty and she knew they called her "Poor Bluey" behind her back because of her second-hand clothing that were mostly faded shades of blue. She tried not to let their critism bother her, but one day it was too much and she was sobbing as she walked home. Her vision blurred by tears, she didn't realize she had stepped off the road and had gone into the dense woods via one of the game trails.

She realized where she was and that she had gotten lost by not paying attention. With night fast approaching due to the change of seasons, she knew the forest wasn't a safe place to be. All her classmates had spoken of all the predators who frequented the farms because they came down from the mountains looking for food and there was very little prey in their natural habitat thanks to people over hunting the area before laws had been created to protect and allow the recovery of the local wildlife. Her thoughts were interrupted by the trees parting as a massive blacker-than-night creature stepped through into the clearing silently. She would have called the beast a wolf if it wasn't big enough to carry off a cow by itself, though it's face and body were certainly canine in nature. Horns grew from the top of it's head like a crown and it had a luxurant mane that put a lion's to shame, two glowing orange-gold eyes with flecks of red like a fire looking down at her with neither malice or friendliness.

"Please don't eat me, great beast." She managed to whisper, too spellbound by the appearance of this strange being to think of running.

"Eat you?" A growling male voice surprised her by saying from his mouth. "I would no sooner wish to crush a rose."

Beauty stared at him open mouthed till she realized she was being rude. "Sorry... I just sort of assumed..."

He waved a massive paw. "If you had come into my domain with ill intent, you would already be dead. Still, you should not be here all by yourself. If you can see me, then you will certainly be able to see others who wouldn't hesitate to harm or take advantage of such a fair young girl. Climb onto my back."

"How do I know you aren't one of them?" Beauty asked, rooted to the spot.

"You have my word."

Beauty took a hesitant step towards him. "I don't even know your name."

He huffed in a way she could have sworn was a chuckle, his bushy tail twitching behind him. "If I ever had one, I have long forgotten it in this cursed form. You may simply call me Beast, if you must call me something."

"Beast? That seems a rather cruel name for a creature so handsome."

"I have never been called that before by anyone." He said, surprise in his tone as his fiery eyes surveyed her from where he laid. "Perhaps then you can give me a name, if I can know yours."

"My name is Beauty." She said in embarrassment and expected him to laugh at it like everyone else had.

He made a strange noise in his throat similar to a purr. "A very fitting name. What will you call me, Beauty?"

She decided to trust him, slowly climbed on his back and admired how his fur shone like a polished stone she'd once seen in the shipyard. "What about Obsidian?"

"Only to you may call me that name, Beauty." He stood slowly so as not to jostle her, taller than any horse she had ever ridden. He walked with long, ponderous strides to the edge of the forest and lowered down onto the ground again. "Can you remember this spot?"

She looked around as she climbed off him. She noticed two stone markers covered in moss with with wild roses growing next to them. "Yes, I believe so."

"If you wish to see me during the day, enter using this path an nothing shall dare to harm you. You must promise me that you will not ever come here at night however, I cannot promise your safety if you do."

"I promise, Obsidian."

He inclined his head. "I trust you can find your way home from here?"

"Yes, thank you." She glanced at the road, then looked back at him. "You said that you were cursed, right?"

"Thousands of years ago by your reconning."

"That would certainly explain why your form isn't one I have seen before. At first glance, I might have guessed a wolf if you weren't so massive."

His tail twitched again. "Not too long ago the wolves of your world were this big and they were feared because they could swallow a man whole. Where do you think the dire wolves descended from?"

"I always assumed they were the parents of the wolves." She admitted and felt very uneducated for all her reading habits.

"It is the reverse, though you were close. At least you acknowledged the dire wolves' existence, many refuse to even consider the idea of magic still being a part of their world."

She shook her head and realized she should be headed home. "Doesn't mean it's not there. I need to get home before my father gets worried."

"Then I will wish you a good night, Beauty. I hope to see you soon."

"I have a feeling you will. Good night, Obsidian." She smiled and went home without further ado.


	2. Chapter 2

Beauty wasn't able to visit Obsidian till the weekend. She left early in the morning with a packed lunch like she usually did when she wanted to study by herself and went to the path marked by stones and roses he had shown her. She walked into the forest, unsure of what she would see in the daylight. The trail in the lush grass a reminded her of carpet because it was soft to the touch and different kinds of flowers made such beautiful patterns it would have caused even the finest Persian rugs to be jealous. Colorful butterflies flitted back and forth across the landscape between the trees and birds sang from their perches. She noted the branches high above crossed over one another and barely let sunlight in, which kept the forest cooler during summer and gave everything around her a mystical appearance. Nothing looked dangerous, but she stayed on the path since Obsidian had said she wouldn't be harmed as long as she didn't leave it. The interwoven foliage spread out into a clearing that looked almost exactly like a dinning room apart from the fact that the table was a long and flat rock and places one could sit were logs or stumps of old trees with moss on top of them. She beamed when she saw Obsidian step into the clearing, his appearance not as startling to her now.

"Hello, Beauty."

"Hello, Obsidian. It's good to see you again."

He smiled. "Likewise. I'm glad you came and used the path to enter."

"I like to keep my promises. This is a beautiful meadow."

"It certainly has it's charm. After a few thousand years of simply running around as a beast, I came to the conclusion I should start taking care of my domain instead of taking advantage of it. Rocks were nothing but play things to move to desired locations. Nature took care of the rest, not really needing encouragement from me for the most part. Would you like a tour?"

She nodded eagerly and climbed on to his back when he crouched down. She looked around as he walked slowly, one step of his massive paws equal to about twenty or more of hers. To the left she saw another more narrow path, the trees so thick that even less light got through the canopy. "Where does that go?"

He paused mid-stride and changed course. "I will show you, but you must promise never to come here without me."

"I promise." She covered her mouth when she realized there were glowing eyes watching them from beyond the path and something massive was what really blocked out the sun, not the trees. Two eyes the size of dinner plates appeared in front of them, along with the shadowed outline of a serpent's face. Fangs the size of Beauty's arm glinted in the shadows and the mere sight of them sent shivers down her spine.

"Why if it isn't the Beast come to pay me a visit." A female voice hissed. "And he brought a friend."

"This is Beauty, Naga. I wanted you to meet her just in case something happens to me. Someone will need to protect her."

Naga's face got closer till Beauty could see shimmering blue scales and a feather-like crest at the top of her head. "A basilisk? Protect a human in this age? I will agree for your sake, Beast."

"A basilisk?" Beauty couldn't take her eyes off of Naga's face, especially her luminous eyes the color of seaweed around her tell-tale reptilian slits. "I never knew your kind was so beautiful, but then again you're the first one I've met."

"Such a silver tongue for one so young. I look forward to getting to know you better, Beauty."

"Likewise."

Obsidian smiled and walked back out of the darkness with her. "It is good that Naga likes you. She has dealt with creatures far beyond my skill. Even as a beast, I am no more invincible than she."

"But if you both can be killed, surely it isn't easy to do so?"

"Technically you are correct, but we still bleed the same as humans. Naga is less vulnerable with her armored scales and her ability to kill with just a look, not to mention her venom which is deadly to most. I made you give me your word to stay on this path unless with me because I am sure you noticed Naga wasn't the only one in that dark part of the forest. Naga's mate and their children dwell there, along with spiders big enough to eat a man. Demons can be found there too, though they generally stick to the caves and pitch-black woods beyond Naga's domain because Naga has been known to eat them when the mood suits her."

Beauty suppressed a shudder. "She's big enough to eat just about anything. You really think I can trust her if anything happens to you?"

Obsidian was silent for so long she thought he might not answer, then felt his shoulders shrug under her. "Naga is certainly dangerous, but she has never given me a reason not to trust her. I pose the same dangers to you and yet you came back of your own free will. Why do you believe I won't harm you?"

"When you said you'd no sooner crush a rose, I felt your sincerity. With Naga I couldn't tell, but perhaps that's because I was mesmerized by her appearance."

"Snakes have that affect on your kind, especially the older and more powerful ones. In ancient times, it wasn't uncommon to find them as guardians of royalty or those who won their affection. Wyrmkind have always had a soft spot for the race of men, so haven't eaten them nearly as often as literature would have you believe."

A thought occurred to Beauty as they came to another clearing big enough to be a ball room. "Naga was your guardian once, wasn't she?"

He looked back at her with a wolfish smile on his lips. "You catch on quickly. Unfortunately, even a basilisk cannot protect you from an enraged enchantress whose advances you've turned away. Apparently every man before she encountered me had fallen victim to her wiles and I being the last male in my family, found myself cursed to be in a form she said women wouldn't love."

"Sounds like she didn't know that love is about looking beyond physical appearances into the other's heart."

"I doubt the enchantress knew anything about love." He sounded almost sad as he settled on the grass. "Let alone it's existence. You hungry?"

"Yes, I brought a lunch."

"I will rest while you eat." He closed his eyes as she climbed off and settled next to him with her basket and ate as she heard his breathing slow to a peaceful rhythm.


	3. Chapter 3

After Beauty finished her lunch, she climbed onto Obsidian's back again and he took her down the path to a massive lake. It stretched for miles in front and to the sides of them till it reached mountain peaks tall and proud in the distance, snow gleaming on their very tips. The water itself was a dark blue-gray color except for the shallows nearby which still looked as ominously murky. A dark shadow seemed to pass through the center, though it was hard to tell whether or not it had been a trick of the light. The trees that grew at the foot of the mountains near the lake reminded her of aspens, only they gleamed with an almost metallic sheen.

"What are those?" She asked in awe as she pointed at the strange trees.

"Argentum. During the summer they produce fruit, but it is poisonous. This lake too is very dangerous with all the creatures that inhabit it, so you must promise me not to swim in the lake and not to eat from the argenti, no matter how good it looks."

She suppressed a shudder as she remembered the shadow in the water. "I promise."

He nodded and moved on to a clearing beyond the lake where fawns and satyrs had gathered for a wedding celebration. "Seems we just missed the ceremony."

"Indeed. Is it normal for these two groups to get along?"

"Most of the time since they're similar species. Let us wish the newlyweds well and be on our way."

She noticed the crowd parted for Obsidian as they approached a fawn couple dressed in elaborate tunics of green with golden flower designs, who looked up at her curiously as she managed: "Congratulations on your nuptials."

"Thank you, stranger." The groom said politely.

"I congratulate you on your marriage as well." Obsidian's tail twitched. "We will let you get back to your party."

"Surely you won't go before taking some refreshment?" The bride implored.

Obsidian was silent for a moment. "Thank you sweet maiden, but there is nothing here I can eat. Beauty, is there anything you would like?"

"Just a fruit tart, please."

The bride wrapped it up herself and handed it up to Beauty, then Obsidian took them back to the wooded trail. He stopped at what looked like the remains of what looked like it had once been a stone building of some kind which had been taken over by plant life to the point it was impossible to tell how big it had been, just that some of the outer wall still lay there being devoured by vegetation.

"What is this place?"

"Some say it was a cathedral, others speculate it was a palace, while a few think it was merely a stone cottage. In truth, they are all correct in a way."

Beauty wondered how that was possible as she nibbled at the fruit tart and realized the answer. "The ruins of a kingdom."

"You are the first to find the correct answer in a very long time."

"How long?"

"Time in this form is sometimes hard to gauge accurately." He tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. "But probably nine hundred years."

She finished the tart, it's delicious pear and apple and berry flavor gone with the last bite. "Has anyone ever tried to break the curse on you before?"

"No, but I can hardly blame anyone who met me in the beginning. After I became a beast I acted as one for at least three thousand years. No one in the mortal realm knew I existed any more, yet one evening while disposing of a hunter who'd been ruthlessly killing the creatures here, I realized with disgust I was no better. By the time I changed and this forest had recovered, not many dared to enter it until you came along."

"I'm glad I stumbled in here on accident."

"So am I." He began walking again. "You are new to the area, yes?"

She nodded. "My father and I moved here about a month ago after he lost his job. The bank repossessed the town house too, so we came to the old family property that's been handed down as a gifted inheritance and couldn't be touched by any debtors."

"It is just you two?"

"Yes. My mother is no longer part of the picture."

He nodded and didn't ask why, much to her relief. She realized they were headed back the way they had come and they reached the clearing she'd entered into the forest by the time the sun was low in the western sky through the trees. He laid down for her to climb off and watched her with those captivating eyes of his as she did so.

"I don't know when I'll be able to visit next." She managed apologetically. "I have tests coming up at school and most of my time will be devoted to study."

"I would expect nothing less from such an educated lady." He lifted his head upwards to a bush and delicately pulled off a branch, then set it in her basket. "Take the leaves off once it is dry and brew them into a tea when you feel overwhelmed. It helps calm the senses and improves memory as well."

She smiled. "Thank you, Obsidian. I will definitely be using it at some point."

He made a purr-like sound. "I'm glad. I wish you good luck on your tests and will look forward to your next visit, Beauty."

"Thank you again. I'll come when I can." She promised and left through the path he'd told her to keep to. She headed home to find her father hard at work making a rocking chair out of cherry wood. "Evening, Dad. Looks like you've been busy."

He chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "Yes, I have. Did you enjoy your day out?"

She nodded. "I figured I should relax before the exams begin next week. Who's the chair for?"

"I thought our living room looked a little baren, so I used some of the wood we brought with us. Do you like it?"

"It's lovely, Dad. I think you should put it near the garden window."

"An excellent suggestion, my dear." He set the rocker in the spot she spoke of. "Looks like it's always belonged."

She smiled. "Indeed. I'll cook us some dinner." She went to the kitchen and wondered if she should tell her father about Obsidian or not.


	4. Chapter 4

Ultimately, Beauty decided she couldn't claim Obsidian was her friend if she wasn't willing to talk about him with her father. It took her a week to find the time and courage, but her father had gone into town to sell some of his woodwork on the day she had no school. She made herself some tea from a leaf off the branch Obsidian had given her when having a hard time concentrating on her studies and found the stimulus it provided her made her progress farther than she was supposed to.

Since she suddenly found herself with no obligations, she headed out to see Obsidian after leaving a note for her father to find if he returned before she did. She hurried to the markers and down the familiar grass path to the first clearing to find he wasn't there. "Obsidian?" She called and when there was no response, she continued down the way he'd said was safe.

By the time she reached the lake, she was getting concerned something might have happened to him. He had mentioned he wasn't impossible to kill and she was fairly certain hunters still came into the forest even though they weren't supposed to. She spotted the fawn couple whose reception they'd come across and walked over to them when they waved. "Have you seen... Beast?" The word felt like an insult on her tongue, but she doubted anyone in this place knew he'd let her give him a different name.

"No we haven't, but then again we just returned from our honeymoon so we might not be the best people to ask as to his whereabouts." The bride said with a smile. "By the way, I don't believe we were formally introduced. I'm Roana and this is Firan."

"It's nice to meet you." She replied and glanced up at the sun that was starting it's descent in the sky. Obsidian had told her this place wasn't good for her to be after dark and he'd also indicated not everyone could be trusted. "I'm Beauty and I really should be going. Good bye."

She didn't wait for a reply as she started running back down the path. She had to get back even though was worried about Obsidian, especially since this was the first time she'd come and he'd not been there to greet her. She supposed he might be deeper in the forest since she had warned him she might not be able to visit till after the exams were over. He did have to eat too and he didn't seem like the type to desire an audience when he ate, so perhaps that's where he was. She oofed as she ran into something hard and scaly. "Naga?"

"Yes, it is I." The basilisk nudged her gently with her nose. "You are here to see Beast?"

"I can't find him anywhere and I'm terribly worried and I know it's getting late..." She felt like she might cry and hadn't realized she was so distraught till just now. "Do you know where he is?"

Naga curled around her as if to comfort her. "He was hoping to be back before your next visit, he simply couldn't hold off hunting for food any more."

She let out a small sigh of relief. "I was hoping it was only that and not something else."

Naga smiled. "You are quite fond of him to be so concerned."

Beauty felt color rise to her cheeks. "He's been nothing but kind to me."

"I will tell him you stopped by. Come, I will go with you to the edge of the path." Naga slithered beside her slowly till they reached where Beauty had entered. "I will tell him you came by."

She nodded slowly as someone drove by. "Thank you, Naga. Why can no one see us?"

Naga watched the car pass. "Most don't notice what they have no wish to. Still, I took precautions and used some of my magic to cloak us. People who have seen us in the past have tried to come after us and we have had to hide lest either side get hurt or worse."

Beauty sighed softly. "I was thinking of telling my father about all of this, but now I'm not so sure. He may or may not believe me, but he might tell others even if I say he should keep it a secret and that might put you all in danger."

"Perhaps." Naga considered her thoughtfully. "Though the decision is yours to make, past experience has taught me that those who would dare to hunt us will always find us no matter how well hidden we are. If you think your father can be trusted, then you should follow your heart."

"My heart hasn't led me anywhere lately."

Naga snorted. "If it did not, then you found your way into our realm and met Beast purely by accident and there should be no reason you would want to come back, let alone look around for him. Yet after everything is said and done, here you are with me of your own free will and the worry I saw in you was certainly not some passing fancy."

Beauty had to admit there was truth in Naga's words. "Are all basilisks so wise?"

"Only the oldest among us usually have such traits. I wish you a good night, little one."

"Good night, Naga." Beauty headed back home to find her father still wasn't there. She began to cook dinner and wondered what was keeping him so long just as he came in the door.

"Smells good in here." Her father beamed. "How's your studying going?"

"I finished early."

He chuckled. "That's my girl. I hope you took a break before starting dinner."

She nodded as she mixed a salad together. "How was your day?"

"Very productive, I sold most of what I took with me. These people out here seem starved for good quality after dealing with nothing but that cheap, useless stuff normal stores sell."

"I'm glad of your success."

He patted her shoulder. "I know having to relocate wasn't easy for you, so I am grateful for your support. Have you made any friends yet?"

Beauty smiled. "Yes. Do you believe in magic, father?"

"Magic? Well I suppose so. After all, love is a form thereof. Are you saying you've fallen in love with someone, my dear?"

"I... I don't know. Maybe. I just met him and he's different from anyone I've ever met." She sighed. "Only problem is if I tell you about him you might think he's imaginary or that he might harm me."

Her father raised an eyebrow. "And why would I come to such conclusions?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "Remember my favorite fairytale growing up?"

"You had several, however I seem to recall that you used to dress up every Halloween growing up as Belle. Your mother thought it was rather funny, since you were named after the original princess. Are you trying to say you have met someone like the Beast?"

"I call him Obsidian because it seemed so cruel to call him anything else." She said quietly.

"And he has never hurt you?"

She shook her head. "He said he would no sooner crush a rose."

Her father studied her for a while. "When can I meet this Obsidian? I promise to suspend any disbelief until further notice."

"I don't know, I would have to ask him what he thinks. I was hoping to see him today, but he wasn't home." She missed Obsidian afresh. "And with my finals coming up, I may not get a chance to visit him till after they're over."

"I am sure it will all work out. Come, let's eat and then I'll do the dishes so you can get to bed."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: The book and author referenced in this chapter are fictitious and any similarities to actual books and anyone with that name living or deceased is purely coincidental.

* * *

Beauty had a hard time sleeping after telling her father about Obsidian, even though she felt like she'd done the right thing. Naga's words lingered even now in the dead of night like a soft hiss: _Those who would dare to harm us will find us no matter how well hidden we are._ That left Beauty with questions like: When the last time someone with malintent had gone into Obsidian's forest? Did more people actually know what was really going on in there while pretending not to or could they only see what they wished like Naga had stated? Did this have anything to do with the curse Obsidian said had been cast on him by an enchantress? Was it the type Obsidian could talk about the details of in depth or had his answer been as much as he was able to say?

She had no answers to any of those things swirling around inside her brain, so eventually she gave up on trying to sleep and looked through her book hoarde to see if she had anything that might contain clues. She had a lot of fantasy and science-fiction novels and had always believed they had some form of truth inside them even before she met Obsidian. Maybe it was because she'd wanted those worlds to exist when times were difficult and she needed an escape, yet now faced with actual magic she didn't know what to think. She'd always felt pride in being well-educated because her father had taught her to study out everything for herself instead of taking his word as truth, but this wasn't something that had been even considered real by most.

The title _Magic: Reality Or Myth?_ caught her eye and she curiously opened it and the first line in the forward felt like it pierced through into her soul:

 _If you think I am going to tell you that you picked my book on a whim, I am here to contradict you by saying you got this because when you finally read it you will have encountered magic._

A shiver ran down her spine as she continued to read:

 _I may not know how or when, but now you are faced with two choices: Will you accept what you have encountered or will you reason it away? Chances are if you haven't set down this book or think it is merely a fantasy story as many have, you might chose to believe. I encourage you to go to my chapter directory and find the situation that best describes your encounter, otherwise you're welcome to go through every scenario if you wish. You are free to decide if I am lying or not on your own, I am merely presenting you with what I know as reality. May you find your path as I have found mine._

 _Seiko Wendell._

Beauty flipped to the table of contents and looked through the list till she saw a chapter on cursed beings and turned to the page it was on.

 _There are many types of curses mentioned throughout what we call fairy tales today. The first type usually mentioned are the ones cast by Otherkin and human spellcasters of varying magical abilities onto those weaker or lesser talented than themselves. All of these curses were cast with specific ways they can be broken and usually those they're placed on don't know how or their tongues are bound against speaking of it. The most common way was to counter a dark spell is true love, but those who didn't want their curses broken had to come up with more creative requirements. The second type of curse is the kind that some are born, passed down through bloodlines directly or awoken inside someone after coming in contact with the curse. I_ _am sure a few of you are thinking werewolves when you read that, but not all curses entail taking the form of what has been deemed a "monster"._

 _Dangerous powers passed down through family lines are often viewed as curses by those who possess them, though if they don't learn how to properly use their powers it can become exactly what they perceive. This one is a little less common in the modern age since most familial abilities have been bred out thanks to widening the gene pool, though that doesn't mean the ability has been lost entirely. There have been many stories of powers or shadows thereof manifesting themselves in bloodlines where they were strongest once upon a time, but this happens so rarely and sporadically it's hard to predict when or where it will occur._ _Those that come from those types of families are also often more prone to becoming cursed because without magic of their own they're more vulnerable._

Beauty couldn't help but think of what Obsidian had said about being the only man left in his family and wondered if such things were also affected by gender, though that did seem rather sexist to even think.

"Beauty?"

She jumped and whirled around to see a familiar face outside her open window. "Obsidian?"

"I heard you stopped by and was coming to check on you. What are you doing still awake?"

"I couldn't sleep." She closed her book and slipped out the window to hug his muzzle. "I missed you."

He made his purr-like sound she'd come to love. "I missed you too, Beauty. I was glad Naga made sure you knew I was fine. If I had known you could visit, I would have returned from hunting sooner."

She ran a hand through his mane. "Well it wasn't like I knew I'd be finished early. After talking with Naga I came home and told my father about you. He promised to suspend disbelief till he met you."

"I am honored you consider us close enough to tell your father about me." Obsidian leaned into her touch. "Do you think he can be trusted with the path into my domain?"

She sighed. "He has never given me cause not to trust him about everything else, yet I am hesitant to share that with him. I don't know why. Maybe I am just being silly thinking it will only belong to us."

Obsidian tilted his head to one side thoughtfully. "I don't know about being silly, however I think keeping secrets from your father will only end badly."

"You're right." She admitted with a blush, embarrassed she'd even considered it. "Especially since I already made the effort to tell him about you."

"Indeed. Bring him with you when you visit next. I must go now before Naga's magic wears off."

She gave him one last lingering hug. "I will visit as soon as I can." She felt like crying as he darted off into the darkness, though she hoped they wouldn't be parted long this time.


	6. Chapter 6

Beauty packed a picnic lunch for herself and her father the day before they had agreed to go to Obsidian's forest together, both eager and nervous at the same time about their arrangement and hoped her father liked Obsidian. _So what if he doesn't? He wouldn't stop you from seeing Obsidian... would he?_ She realized she didn't have a straight yes or no answer to that question, though she knew it was a risk she would have to take. Obsidian had said it would cause trouble for them not to meet and she had no reason to disbelieve him.

Moving from the coast in California over to the wooded mountains in Colorado had seemed strange before she had met him and if someone had told her prior she would find herself faced with a fairytale situation because of it, she doubted she'd have believed them. After all, at almost eighteen on her last year of high school, fantasy was something she read on her leisure time and had used it as a way to get away from reality since eight years old when her mother shattered her happy world by saying she was leaving her and her father. Nine and a half years had come and gone and the pain at that betrayal still hurt and she wondered if her father would ever recover. She'd tried to encourage him to go on dates and stay out of the way when he'd bring a lady friend home, though his few relationships hadn't gotten passed the courting period for one reason or another.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing and answered it. "Hey Dad, where are you?"

"Stuck in traffic near Telluride. The good news is I got a contract to produce and sell furniture based on my designs through a few places over in Montrose. The bad news is that it's at least four hours back home because it took us longer to draw up agreements. I know I promised we would take a trip out to see your friend today, but it's going to be dark when I get back."

"I'm disappointed you won't be able to make it back on time, though I'm also really glad your efforts were met with success. Call me if you have to stop and rest somewhere, okay?"

"Will do. You have a good day, dear."

"I'll do my best." She sighed when the connection was cut and put her father's half of the food back in the fridge. She headed out to the markers and walked down the path to where Obsidian waited for her in the main clearing. "Hi."

"Your father couldn't make it, I presume?"

"No, he was stuck in traffic somewhere near Telluride. At least he got promising business contracts out of the trip."

"Being able to progress is certainly a good thing. I am glad to see you regardless."

She felt a smile creep across her face. "Same to you, Obsidian. How is Naga?"

"Last I saw her, she said she would be in her part of the forest for a while on her new clutch of eggs."

"How long does it take for basilisk eggs to incubate?"

"At least 70 days with the right conditions, though her last clutch took three months longer than normal to hatch due to an early winter."

She nodded. "What's her mate like?"

"Corbin? He's a decent fellow, though he hasn't left their domain since his eyes were damaged beyond repair in battle and he lost his eyesight because of it."

"It's nice that Naga didn't let that stop her from choosing him."

"Basilisks don't let something like physical appearance or deformities change who they want as a mate. Other species do from what I have heard, though they may not realize they're limiting themselves." His tail twitched as he watched her set out her picnic. "Do you have anyone special in your life, Beauty?"

"Just you and my dad. Maybe after high school things can change, but I suppose that depends on what I decide to do once I graduate."

He nodded. "Any idea if you will want to continue your education?"

"I've been thinking about it." She took a bite of her sandwich and chewed slowly. "Though I'm not sure what I should study if I do. I mean, it's not like there's s field for magic anywhere. The closet subject these days is considered paranormal or medieval studies."

"There used to be schools for such things, though I'm not certain if any more still exist now. If they do, they're in hiding like us."

"Finding you was serendipitous, but I think my chances of stumbling across one of them isn't very high."

"It isn't impossible, though you are right. I have not seen a magician of any kind in these parts for many centuries."

"I'm surprised one hasn't shown up now that an outsider like me has been talking about things they shouldn't know about."

"Thankfully for both of us, they usually leave the protection of enchanted places to whoever lives there. Magicians have only intervened when beings like myself have threatened the outside world."

"You mean like when there were dragons?"

"Oh they're still around and they didn't nearly cause as much trouble as stories would have you believe." He chuckled. "In fact, the tales of kidnapping maidens came from jealous men who couldn't stand the thought that human girls had found happiness with creatures who could blend in amongst them when they chose."

She blinked in surprise. "So some people have dragon blood?"

"Yes, as well as wolf and unicorn and merfolk to name a few. Humans have long been considered desirable mates by creatures considered fantastical by most, though it has been so long that a great many of their descendants don't remember their heritage."

"Do you think I could be one of them?"

He gave his familiar purr-like sound. "I would not be surprised at all, Beauty."


End file.
